


Proving to be difficult.

by Laura11333



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M, Undercover
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-14
Updated: 2020-06-02
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:42:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,274
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23147170
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Laura11333/pseuds/Laura11333
Summary: Bucky has to go undercover. I don`t know how to do summaries. Buck goes undercover and has to live with the reader to fool the target. Pretend to be her husband.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Reader
Comments: 1
Kudos: 34





	1. Proving to be difficult

Unfuckingbelievable. They really couldn’t have someone else do it. They could’ve asked Natasha, she’s a great spy. Hell, even Clint would be a better fit.

“Barnes are you with us?” Director Fury snapped, a good mixture of exhaustion and annoyance.

“I’m listening,” he rolled his eyes. With a huff, he grabbed the file the director had slid across the table to him.

“That’s the target,” Fury spoke up after a moment of silence.

“Why me?” Blue eyes met a brown one.

“Maybe if you actually read the file you’d know.” Bucky opened the file and started flipping through the reports and background. That’s when he saw it. That’s when he saw them, to be more accurate. The target was sitting at what looked like an auction, on the Stage were none other than Alexander Pierce and Jasper Sitwell.

“Is this it? Is this why you want me to take the job? Because they are dead and Clint or Tasha can deal with this.” Bucky asked getting louder with every sentence.

“Barnes calm the fuck down.” Fury was becoming impatient now. “If you’ve read the list you’d know that we are not focusing on Pierce and Sitwell. This motherfucker bought a number of notebooks containing not only notes and results of the testing with the serum on you and others but also blueprints and directions on how to build and use the device that wiped the soldiers’ memories. Which is why we need you to go undercover and retrieve all of it before some lost part of Hydra finds it and decides to restart the program.”

Bucky was shocked for a moment, he had honestly thought that after everything he was finally done with Hydra but he recognized that Fury was right. It needed to be him, not only because he knew what they were searching for but also to finally leave it behind him and so he obliged.

“What will be my cover, Sir?

———————————————————————————————————–

“Agent Barnes I’d like you to meet Miss Y/N Y/L/N. She is the assistant of the target and your way in. Over the course of this mission, you will act as her Husband James Y/L/N and try to get closer to the target to eventually gain access to the objects we need.” 

It had been a week since Fury had told him about the mission and now was the moment in which Bucky was first meeting you, the woman he would have to live with for however long this mission was gonna take and as if that wasn’t bad enough already he would also have to act as if he was in love with this complete stranger.

“Excuse me are you ok?” A hand waving in front of his face pulled Bucky out of his thoughts and he gave you a quick smile before holding out his hand politely. “Just lost in thoughts. I’m James Barnes but you can call me Bucky Miss.”

Grabbing his hand and shaking it you smirked. “I think I will stick with James, Agent. Ready to go home?”

Bewildered, Bucky was silent for another few moments before clearing his throat and grabbing his bags from the car. “You lead the way, Miss.”

———————————————————————————————————–

From the file, Bucky knew that you were the targets personal secretary and obviously that meant a pretty good paycheck judging by your apartment, or even just the fact that you could afford an apartment in New York. 

“You can set up your stuff in the spare bedroom.” You called from the kitchen while pulling some ingredients out of the refrigerator. “Can I ask what you are trying to do there?” He asks walking into the kitchen after putting his bags and shield equipment into the other room. You glared at him for a moment before cursing. “Fuck I cut myself. I was trying to make dinner but cooking isn`t really my strong suit.” You grumbled sticking your finger into your mouth to stop the bleeding.

“Go put a bandage on that or something and I`ll make dinner.” Bucky tried to smile at you reassuringly. He wasn`t fond of this mission but he wanted people to see him in a different light especially since this job would in a way require reconnecting with old hydra memories.

“Are you sure?” You asked again but seeing as he had already started cutting up the tomatoes you left for the bathroom.

In the end, Bucky had made a delicious lasagna for the both of you and you couldn`t help but ask yourself how the world could ever see this man as a monster.

———————————————————————————————————–

“Tell me something about yourself!” You and James had been sitting in the living room in silence for about an hour both concentrating on their own work so when you suddenly broke the silence with your request it wasn`t necessarily a surprise that the ex-assassin almost dropped the microphone he had been sewing into his suit carefully. “Well I was conscripted and assigned to the 107th in 1943-” He started but was quickly stopped when you hit him on the arm with your pen. “I don`t want to hear about your military career or anything. I want to know more about you.” You said emphasizing the last word and pointing at Buckys` nose with your pen. “About your family, things you enjoy doing, where you grew up. But don´t you dare give me a history lesson!”

Bucky was in shock and for a moment all he could do was stare at you. Ever since he got his memories back since he in a way had gotten himself back no one had wanted to know anything more about him than what he knows of Hydra or his time in the army especially as one of Hydra`s prisoners. He hadn`t talked about his family in so long but he hadn`t even realised it because nobody had ever cared. Except for you apparently. 

“She probably just wants to be prepared for the mission.” He thought to himself but even he couldn`t deny the warm feeling that spread in his chest when he started thinking about his siblings and so he started talking.

“I was born in 1917 and I have…no I had 3 younger sisters, my parents … and I met Steve when I was about 13. He was getting beat up by some bullies as always and I saved his scrawny little ass.” He smiled fondly at the memory and started telling you some anecdotes of games he, Steve, and the other kids would play. They were happy stories like that but also the sad ones like visiting the funeral of Steve’s mother who had treated him like her own but he kept a nostalgic smile on his face through all of it. 

“Do you miss them?” You asked him after he had finished. You already knew the answer from the look in his eyes when he had talked but it was still worth asking. He smiled. “Every day.”

Recognizing the sadness in his face you tried to put your hand on his arm comfortingly and for a moment you sat in silence both in your own little worlds before Bucky abruptly jumped mumbling something about having to check in with Shield and vanishing to the guest room.

———————————————————————————————————–

Bucky had been staying with you for about a week now. In public, he acted like a sweet and caring husband taking you home from work every day or bringing you lunch and even though you know it was all to get closer to your boss and be invited to the auction you couldn`t help but feeling this routine grow on you. If only he wouldn`t spend all his time in the privacy of your flat in the guest room. Except for meals he always had some kind of excuse to vanish and you honestly didn`t quite understand why. You had only wanted to get to know him better but maybe you had taken it to far? Honestly, you didn`t even really know why it was bothering you so much, it wasn`t as if you actually liked the guy…was it?

While you were trying to figure that out for yourself Bucky actually did have quite a valid reason to hide away, well he actually had two. One of them being that he had to prepare himself for everything that might come and report all his progress to Shield but the other one was more personal and not quite as simple. He was scared. It probably wasn`t rational but ever since the day that Fury had announced the mission to him he had felt this intense anxiety in himself. He was scared but of Hydra, scared to be recaptured and even though he knew that Shuri had erased all traces of Hydra manipulation from his brain he was scared of himself. Scared of turning into the Winter Soldier again and hurt anyone, he didn`t want to lose himself again, he couldn`t bear it. 

Even if he wasn`t the Winter Soldier though he always found a way to hurt the people around him, that`s why he couldn`t let himself get too close to you. If anyone ever asked about it Bucky would vigorously deny it but he did quite enjoy the act he had to keep up. After such a long time of being alone, it felt good to care not only about but for someone and he had a feeling you cared about him too but he couldn`t risk be selfish and risk your safety just because he might care about you more than he would ever admit to himself or anyone else.

———————————————————————————————————–

Their days went on like this till about halfway through the second week when you decided that you have had enough. Bucky was still a guest in your house and you wouldn`t have him ignore you anymore, at least not without a valid reason. Walking to his room to set your plan in motion you were quite surprised when you walked around the corner and ran directly into Bucky, and when I say into I mean it because you had been walking so fast that the crash threw you back a bit, well not just the crash. Luckily he caught you before you could fall and it was quite necessary because he had apparently just taken a shower. 

His chest was completely bare his muscles only accentuated by the little drops of water still running down and he only had a loose towel around his waist, it was…quite a sight.

You must have stared because Bucky cheeks were flushed dark red which in turn make yours flush too. “I umm sorry.” He mumbled. “I went on a run earlier and had to shower.”

“It`s ok. Mi casa Su casa like they say in Spain.” You nervously laughed trying to stop yourself from staring on his chest, which wasn`t easy due to your height difference.

“Right…thanks.” He too was laughing nervously now which wasn`t something you would`ve ever expected when you had first met him. 

Suddenly you remembered why you had actually been searching for him. “Wait I gotta talk to you.” His cheeks flushed again. “Can I maybe…get dressed first.”

“Umm sorry yeah sure I`ll just wait in the living room.”

With that, you both walked off equally confused and redfaced.

———————————————————————————————————–

About 5 minutes later Bucky had joined you in the living room, his cheeks still a bit flushed but overall more composed now that he was fully clothed.

“Ok, what did you want to talk about?” He sat down looking at you expectingly.

“I want you to stop ignoring me.” You blurted out. “You`ve been here for over a week and you only talk to me when you have to convince my boss that we`re married and I don`t like it. The auction is next Saturday and I`m pretty sure you`ll get the invitation soon enough but it`s still a week that you`re living with me and I want you to actually interact with me like a normal person for once. I`m sorry if I pushed you too far on that first evening but I just wanted to know more about you and-” Suddenly he was across the room and cut you off by putting his hand over your mouth. You tried to push him away but he was far stronger. 

“There`s someone in here.” And mere seconds after he had whispered that into your ear a vase shattered, right on the table next to you. “Quick hide in the broom closet.” He pushed you towards the stairs and pulled a gun out of from somewhere before kicking over the couch and hiding behind it.

Meanwhile, you had done as he told you and ran up to hide in the broom closet. From there you hadn`t heard any more shattering or even shots but to be sure you still grabbed the nearest broom, it wasn`t much but you had to defend yourself somehow.

There you waited in the silent, dark room for what felt like an eternity when the door abruptly opened and without looking who it was you just started whacking the figure with your broom screaming at it to stay away till the broom was ripped out of your hands.

“Calm down Y/N it`s all good it`s just me.” Bucky said trying to sound soothing.

“You scared me, idiot.” You hit his arm one more time before flinging yourself at him with a strong hug.

Taken aback and surprised he could do nothing more than just blush once again and close his arms around you pulling your sniffling frame closer into his chest. “It must have been a warning from someone.” He started to explain. “Hydra?” “No, I don`t think so it´s not how they operate with something so valuable. it must be someone working independently who wants to scare off all attendees.” 

“Wait but we don´t even have an invitation yet.” You pushed yourself enough away to look up at him. “Well.” Bucky sheepishly replied. “We do actually I was going to tell you earlier. That run I went on was with your boss and he invited us.”

You knew he had mentioned a run but honestly, your whole conversation earlier and especially the memory of it was a bit clouded by his naked frame.

“Well that`s good news then I guess? If we don`t get shot before. Not that I`d be sad to miss any of it.” You tried to say in a joking tone to lighten the mood but Bucky looked dead serious. “I can finish this alone if you don`t want to be put in any more danger. I don`t want to put you at risk.”

“Wait. what. No!” You pushed himself away suddenly very angry. “First of all without me, you wouldn`t have any chance of getting close to the things you want and second of all, I didn`t sign up to help Shield just so some entitled asshole could put me in some corner and not even talk to me for over a week before suddenly deciding that he cared for my safety or whatever. So don`t talk to me about putting me in danger. I`m an adult and I fucking know what I`m doing. Now if you`ll excuse me I have work to do.” With that, you stomped away leaving him in the doorway with a shocked expression.

———————————————————————————————————–

“I fucked up.” “What did you do now?” Natasha asked laughing over the telephone. Bucky quickly told her everything that had happened over the day and at the end, there was just silence on the other end of the line. “Oh, you royally fucked up.”

“I know but how do I fix it?” He asked her desperately. Nat sighed not completely able to hide the underlying amusement. “Don`t worry lover boy I have a plan.”

———————————————————————————————————–

“Y/N?” You heard a knock on your office door and turned around to see Bucky in a suit in your doorway. “Before you get angry at me again, which I would fully deserve, please listen to me?” She looked at him expectantly. “I know I royally fucked up but please let me make it up to you. Let me take you out and we`ll actually get to know each other. No ignoring I promise.”

She contemplated for a moment before nodding. “Ok but be aware that I don`t give third chances.” He just smiled at that. “Now shoo I need to get ready.”

———————————————————————————————————–

When Bucky had come to you he had looked quite fancy in his dark blue suit so you had decided to go with your almost floor long dress of the same colour and just seeing his reaction gave away that you had chosen right since his jaw almost dropped all the way to the floor. He quickly coughed hiding his embarrassment before holding his arm out for you to take. “You look beautiful. I mean not like you don`t always do but your dress is very nice I mean all your clothes are nice I mean -” “Thank you, James. You look nice too.” You laughed cutting off his ramblings. You must have seemed really angry if you could turn a former brainwashed assassin turned Shield Agent that shy, not that you minded it. It was quite cute if you were honest.”

The restaurant you went to turned out to be this cute little Italian place and even though you still preferred his homecooked meals the pizza there was honestly to die for. Afterwards, Bucky announced that he had another surprise for you and before you could ask what it was you arrived in some part of Brooklyn. “You wanted to know more about me so I thought I`d show you where I grew up.” He explained sheepishly scratching his neck. “I`d like that.” You replied smiling at him.

Strolling down the street arm in arms Bucky told you about every house you came across, he told you about the families that had lived there, the shops that shooed the playing kids away and the smiling elderly people that had given them little treats. It was a good evening even though it was quite exhausting.

At the end of the street, there was a small green space with a nice bench to sit on so you decided to take a break. 

Enjoying the fresh evening wind in peaceful silence. “Thank you, James.” You leaned against his arm breaking the silence for a moment.

“Y/N can I ask you something?” You hummed a quiet, tired yes. “Why do you call me James? Everybody calls me Bucky except for you.”

He waited for a moment before looking down to you expecting some kind of reaction but you had already fallen asleep on his side. Smiling he wrapped his suit jacket around you and picked you up with ease. “Time to go home.”

———————————————————————————————————–

The next morning you woke up in your bed a bit disorientated. How had you gotten back here? The last thing you remembered sitting on s bench with James. You smiled at that memory before a soft knock on your door startled you. Luckily you were still in your dress so there was nothing bad you had forgotten about.

“Come in.” You called. The door flung open and Bucky carefully walked in balancing a tablet with what looked like pancakes with syrup, eggs, bacon, toast, and coffee. “I wasn`t sure what you liked more so I just made variations.” He grinned setting the tablet down on your bed.

For a moment you weren´t quite sure what to say. Since when was he so caring and nice. Yes, he made breakfast in the morning but normally just left something out for her.

“Wow thank you this looks great. I probably won`t be able to eat it all alone.” You chuckled. “Feel like joining me after I switch this dress for something more comfortable? I need you to tell me how I got here last night.”

He laughed. “That`s easy you fell asleep on the bench and I carried you. I´d love to join you for breakfast. I`ll just wait outside till you`ve changed.”

With that, he left the room again. 

———————————————————————————————————–

The next few days went down in a similar fashion and before you knew it it was time for the auction. You would lie if you said you weren`t scared, both of you would but honestly, there was also something exciting about this whole dangerous undercover mission.

You and Bucky we`re going with fitting colours again but since your goal was to not be noticed that meant a black dress for you and a black suit for him. The auction was mixed with a dance so you had to wear a balldress which probably wouldn`t be helpful in case you would have to flee but there was no other possibility.

Your boss had offered to take the two of you there with him and his wife so you wouldn`t even have the car ride to try and calm your nerves a bit more before going in so the few breathing exercises in your room had to be enough.

“Are you ready?” Bucky asked one last time before exiting the building to enter the car. He got a reassuring smile from your side and whether he actually believed you or not it was too late to bail.

———————————————————————————————————–

You had been at the event for about 2 hours now, dancing and acting as if you were having massive fun. You did have fun but as soon as Bucky gave you the sign you knew that was over. You quickly excused yourself to the bathroom and over a lot of labyrinth-like floors ended up meeting him again in the Library. 

Together they searched for the blueprints and found them pretty quickly, maybe a bit too quickly. they must have set off some kind off an alarm because when they exited the room they heard quick footsteps coming your way.

Without a thought, Buckys mind reacted on instinct and turned you around pulling you into a deep kiss. You were surprised but after a moment started kissing back till someone pulled on your arm. 

“Hey, you can`t make out here. Get a room or something.” A security man pulled you apart and after excusing his behaviour Bucky took your hand and you walked away as calmly as possible. After that, it was actually quite for you to excuse the two of you by faking an illness and after an uneventful car ride you were both back home, exhausted but oh so happy that everything had worked out. There was only one thing.

“James why did you kiss me.” You sat down next to him on the couch where he was doing the report for Shield. He seemed to contemplate the question before answering. “To not make him suspicious. Public displays of affection make people uncomfortable.” 

“Oh.” You just said. Surprising yourself by how sad your reaction sounded. Could it be that…no…yes? Shit. He looked at you confused as if you were a puzzle he was trying to solve.

“Did it bother you?” He asked carefully choosing his words. You blushed. “No? I just thought that…forget it it`s stupid.”

“No, tell me.” He had now turned his full attention to you the report long forgotten. “I thought you might have done it because you wanted to but I guess that was stupid.” You whispered trying to hide your red face in your shirt.

“What makes you think I didn`t?” His soft voice whispered back suddenly right next to you, and without any second thoughts, you had suddenly turned around and pressed your lips onto his, kissing him as he had earlier with a passion burning like a sun. 

Work was completely out of both your minds when Bucky pushed the laptop from his lap and pulled you on instead. As quick as any hesitations and laptops your shirts vanished pants soon following this time on the bedroom floor.

If anyone had told you at the beginning of this that this was how you`d end up you would`ve probably thought they were crazy but at this moment it was the perfect ending.


	2. It doesn't get easier (1/2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> this is the first half of the second chapter.

You didn't know how long you had slept for exactly but when you woke up the apartment was significantly darker and James was gone. He had been there when you`d fallen asleep but now the bed was empty and cold, any trace of last night's events gone.

_ He probably just went to get a snack or something.  _ You thought to yourself while searching for your slippers, but he wasn't in the kitchen or the living room, even the guest room looked as if he hadn't even been there in the first place. 

_ Maybe he just had some Shield business to do and will be back later. _ But you couldn’t quite keep the Anxious thoughts aways.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It had been three days and you still hadn’t heard from Bucky so you finally decided to check in on him. Steve had given you his number for Emergencies on the mission but his best friend missing should be emergency enough. 

“Rogers?” He answered sounding out of breath as if he was running. 

“This is Y/N I’m calling to ask whether you had heard from Jam- Agent Barnes?” You quickly corrected yourself not knowing whether he had told anyone about your light. If it even mattered to him as it did to you? What if-

“Bucky? No, he told us that the mission was taking longer? Isn’t he with you?” The sound of running had stopped and Steve suddenly sounded very worried. 

“No I haven’t seen him in three days, he vanished after…” You stopped unsure whether you should tell Steve about the night you had spent together. If Bucky had vanished right afterwards it couldn’t have meant much to him. You thought.

Luckily Steve didn’t even notice as he came up with a plan and just hung up.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When you arrived at the conference room you were met with about half the team already assembled, worry etched into their features. Steve must have informed them of what you had told him and now he was in front of some big screen, reading what looked like Hydra documents. 

“What are you doing here?” Someone asked behind you as you looked through the room. “Excuse me?” You had snapped around angry and fully prepared to lecture the person when you stopped in shock because you hadn’t expected the angry person to be Steve Rogers. “Why wouldn’t you want my help?”

“Why would we? After all, you are the one who got us into this mess in the first place. It is a nice trap you and your disgusting Bosses have set up here I have to admit that. Though I am a bit confused as to why you would tell us that Bucky is missing? You had a good lie going there so-”

He started walking towards you and from the corner of your eyes, you could see the rest of the team move too. 

“Unless this is another trap and this was your plan all along? Distract Bucky so that Hydra could recapture him and then alarm us to run right into your arms? Well, you miscalculated.”

Slowly realising what was going on you tried to speak up, explain how wrong he was. You didn’t get that far as you felt a prick on your in your neck and everything went dark.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Y/N darling, are you awake?” You heard a warm and familiar voice at the border of your conscious. “I made pancakes.” You could feel the warm breath of the person whispering into your ear and turned around slowly but surely opening your eyes.

“James?” Your eyes finally open you recognized the handsome ex-spy in front of you. “Where am I?” You asked sitting up suddenly as a feeling of panic rolled over you. 

Instead of an answer you could feel his lips on your neck pressing soft kisses on your skin over and over, you wanted to enjoy the prickling sensation, lose yourself in the moment but something was nagging at the edge of your mind. Screaming at you that something was wrong.

The thought became stronger and stronger and with it, you could feel a growing pain in your head. The pain grew and slowly became all-consuming until there was nothing left besides pain and darkness. No warm bed and pancakes, no James and his soft kisses, just darkness and pain.


	3. It doesn't get easier (2/2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here is the rest of chapter 2.

"What exactly is your plan here Steve?" After making sure Y/N was locked up and secured Nat had gone back to the control room where Steve was still sitting roaming through file after file, and data after data.

“We have to find him, Nat. She probably knows where he is and had this all planned we just need to get her to tell us where he is.” 

“And if you’re wrong? What if she has no idea and is just an innocent citizen who wanted to help us?”

“I have to be right Natasha. I can’t-” He choked back the sob trying to escape his throat. “I can’t lose him again.”

Natasha walked over to her friend pulling him into a deep hug. “We will find him. But in case this turns out to be a dead-end why don’t you let me check out some possible locations ok? I think you’ll find somebody else for the interrogation.”

Steve just nodded and after staying in the embrace for a moment longer he left to confer with the team. In the meantime, Nat took her place in front of the screens but after even just a couple of seconds, it was clear that she wouldn’t be able to find anything here on her own. She was good but this was more of a job on Tony’s level.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Is he awake yet?” “Negative Sir the target is still unconscious.”

The first thought on Bucky’s mind when he woke up in some kind of dark room wasn’t  _ Where am I? _ or  _ What happened? _ after years of experience, it was pretty clear that he had probably been kidnapped and judging by his last mission and the general style of the location it was probably Hydra. 

Now Bucky knew that technically Shuri had gotten every little trace of the programming out of his head but he still couldn't get rid of the Anxiety clouding his head in the first moments of consciousness. The time he had spent with Hydra had been the worst in his life, he almost hadn’t survived it the first time, who guaranteed that he would make it a second time?

It was impossible to know how much time he had spent in the ever dark room but it didn’t stop him from trying even if the counting of every second was just his try to keep his thoughts at bay. After all, it wasn’t just him in danger. He didn’t remember leaving Y/N’s room before waking up here so what if they had captured her too...or worse. No Bucky couldn’t let himself think about any of it he had to find a way out. But how?

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“NO NO NO NO SHE IS LYING I AM TELLING YOU SHE HAS TO KNOW SOMETHING!” Steve was livid. It had been two days since Bucky had vanished and he had been interrogating Y/N pretty much day and night but nothing. She kept telling him that she didn’t know anything. She even tried to sell him some lie about her and Bucky but that just couldn’t be the truth. He was tired and angry and...and so exhausted. After everything he had promised himself to never let anything happen to his best friend ever again and here he was losing him all over again. If only he hadn’t convinced him to take that mission.

“The has to be  **something** !” He exclaimed again throwing the chair standing in front of him through the room with all the uncontrolled strength the serum had given him. “...something...anything.” He repeated over and over again as he sunk to his knees, the tears he had given up fighting flowing freely down his face.

“She has to know...something...anything.” He whispered one last time before curling up on the floor letting the sobs take over.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“I told you I don’t know anything. I’m trying to find James as much as you are why won’t you believe me?” That’s what you had been telling the team for at least three days now. You weren’t how long it had actually been but three days seemed like a good estimate. You had even told them about the last night you had seen him but everything you had tried was blocked and met with disbelief or screaming.

“Please! Let me help.” You had begged over and over again but nothing.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“This is it! Nat, I think I found something you have to look at this!” Tony suddenly exclaimed loudly from his side of the massive room they had been in for days. “What is it?” Nat quickly made her way over to the genius who had pulled up what looked financial stats on his screen. 

“Ok look I pulled up the bank information of everyone that was at the auction that we know of and-” “How is that supposed going to help us?” She threw in.

“Just listen for a second and I’ll explain” Tony huffed and shot her a pointed look. “This information can be traced back to GPS addresses and since we know that the people who have him are probably the same as the ones who organised the whole event we just need to trace where they transferred the money too and-” He pushed a few buttons. “voila there is your address.” 

“Tony you annoying genius!” With a grin, she threw her arm around the superhero before running out the door to get the others.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Steve you have to come right now! Tony has found a location!” If Nat had been any other person than an ex-spy turned Avenger she would’ve been out of breath by the time she reached the interrogation room but even then the way her friends' eyes lit up at the news would've made that all unimportant. 

He didn’t even as much as stop to say anything before running straight out of the door towards Tony while Nat was left behind with you sitting at the cold metal table in the same room you had been in for weeks. Your hair looked thin and greasy which only contributed to the tired expression on your face and made you an all-around miserable picture as you looked up and not more than whispered: “Please just make sure James is ok?”

Nat nodded and left the room again making her way back. Even if she still couldn’t be sure on the girl’s involvement her gut was telling her that she actually cared about Bucky more than an undercover Hydra Agent would, maybe there was some truth to her story?

**\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

“Dammit Rogers listen to me before going off to kill yourself. I’m telling you it is not possible to beat this system, and even if it was this would still be a suicide mission.” Tony had spent the last hour explaining how he had found the building that Hydra was probably hiding Bucky in but there had been a problem. 

There were few technical systems that Tony couldn’t beat or control but the Steranko security system was an exception. It was one of the toughest security systems in the world and had only been beaten twice in all of human history. So yes it had been beaten but this only resulted in it learning and getting better. It was impossible.

“Nothing is impossible Stark we can beat it.”

“No Rogers we can’t, not without massive destruction and we don’t even know if he is actually there. For all, we knew I could be wrong and this could just be a normal office building.” Steve moved to interrupt him again. 

“Listen to me! If the designer took one of those computers that can beat like 100 people at chess, gave it a brain the size of a building, hook it up to military-grade infrared, ultrasound, and motion sensors, and then gave it the personality of a pissed off Rottweiler then you have the Steranko. It has a heuristic algorithm which allows it to adapt to your moves and evolves a strategy based on your response. It learns and it hunts.

It has four levels of response. Level one is a passive lockdown, two is fire, three is a terrorist takeover, and four is hazmat containment breach. If it stays at level one then all you need to do is stay away from doors, cameras, security key cards, and even actual guards. You are safe so long as you stay in, but as soon as you try to get out then game over. It is like a lobster trap in that it’s easy to get in, but there is no way out. Trying to beat a Steranko is a suicide mission and I will not help you kill yourself for a chance.”

With that, he exited the room leaving Steve behind once again boiling with rage.

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“I don’t know anything.” Bucky couldn’t even count the number of times he had repeated that exact phrase in the last few days. Every what he was guessing morning some guy in a suit would come in and ask him a bunch of questions about Shield, the Avengers, and the mission. He still didn’t know how long he had been there or if Y/n was save. He didn’t know anything for certain except that he had to get out of there, get back to his team and make sure everyone was safe.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Please I heard you saying you found him. Just tell me something. At least tell me if he is ok?” You had given up. Given up trying to convince the Avengers that you were innocent, given up trying to tell them the truth. They could at least tell you this little thing. 

If it had been Steve in the room he probably would’ve kept shut but Nat had an idea. “We found the building he is probably in.” You leaned forward curiously as she went on. “He’s in the same building you work in which means you know all about their security system.” 

“Yes!” You exclaimed without a second thought. “I can bring you in I know all about the building and the security and-” You suddenly realised what this sounded like. “I swear I didn’t know they were Hydra. I was the one that told you about the possible connection for fucks sake!”

“Let’s say for a moment that I believe you.” Nat thought for a second. “We let you go without further investigation and give you the benefit of the doubt but you have to give us an in.”

“Yes yes yes everything to help you!”

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“Tony officially won’t help us but his notes tell me that the only weakness the system has is the roof.” Steve was walking up and down in front of the little team they had put together for the mission. 

“So that is where we will escape. Y/N will bring Nat and me in as interns and Barton will wait on the next building to shoot the zip-line over for us to escape. Once we’re inside we will just have to find the room with the most protection since they’re gonna want to keep their captives safe and fight our way through one way or another.”

Everyone signalled their understanding before leaving to suit up.

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“Well, I thought this was going to be harder.” In a matter of a few minutes, you had managed to convince the lobby security guards to sign your two new interns in and the three of you were on the way up now after using the blueprint Tony had found to pinpoint the room Bucky was probably in. “Don’t be too sure there could still-” Steves’ comment got interrupted by something or rather someone crashing on the elevator shaking it as if it was about to fall.

The ceiling hatch opened and through it fell a man with shoulder-length brown hair and a metal arm. He jumped into a fighting stance facing towards them just a second after landing and would’ve probably starting lashing out if it wasn’t for the blonde supersoldier to zoom forward throwing his own arms around the man he had identified as Bucky Barnes.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Without further questions, they took the lucky opportunity and immediately went as far up as the elevator would bring them. Nobody noticed the stolen glances Bucky kept throwing at you as Steve explained the plan to him.

the elevator brought them almost all the way up but two stories under the roof they were stopped as a loud siren rang through the halls. “Run” You screamed leading the others to the stairs and further up before they could seal the doors while Nat shouted the signal into her coms to alert Clint.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Once on the roof, Steve ran over to the arrow that had brought their exit over and secured it on a pillar sending Nat over first. He followed after her but before you could decide who would go next guards started storming the roof and before you knew what was happening Bucky had grabbed you by your waist and swung the both of you off the roof grabbing the line with his metal arm. 

“I got you.” He smiled down to you. You wanted to answer but at that moment the line shook violently and suddenly you were falling again. You could feel Bucky pull you close to him as you crashed on the roof surprisingly unwounded. Or so you thought till you saw the small pool of blood on your shirt but...it wasn’t yours.

You turned around swiftly just to see Bucky lying behind you, two holes in his chest.

“Bucky!” You could hear a scream as Steve slid to a halt next to his best friend. He whispered something nobody could understand but it was too late. James Barnes lying in a pool of his own blood closed his beautiful blue eyes.

Steve let out a heart-wrenching sob as he pressed the still body of his best friend against his chest.

“No no no no.” He whispered over and over his tone growing in anger with every no.

“This is your fault.” He got up quicker than humanly possible and sped towards you. He didn’t have his Shield but his fist was all he needed at the moment as he swung it right at your face.

All the others heard was the crack of bones and the splatter of more blood as Steves fist connected with your face and the rest of you was thrown over the roof.   
  


Steve stared at his own bloody fist in shock as he heard a voice he thought he would never hear again ask:

“What did you do?”


End file.
